International Journal of Business Environment http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=69&year=2012&vol=5&issue=1 Inderscience Publishers Ltd en-uk International Journal of Business Environment 1740-0589 1740-0597 © 2012 Inderscience Publishers Ltd editor@inderscience.com https://www.inderscience.com/images/files/coverImgs/ijbe_scoverijbe.jpg http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=69&year=2012&vol=5&issue=1 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44925 The specific factors that influence the entrepreneurial inclination of students were studied with a view to proposing appropriate policy measures on entrepreneurship within tertiary institutions. The sample for the study consisted of 7,560 students from a total of 25 tertiary institutions with 83% response rate. While we found that entrepreneurial interest among Nigerian students is quite high, the expression of this interest in practice is rather low. The main factors found to significantly explain entrepreneurial interest are parents' educational qualifications, family entrepreneurial history, family socio-demographics, students' entrepreneurial experience, and students' sociodemographics. Of the 14 variables identified as being central in encouraging students' entrepreneurial interests, only five can be defined as necessary, though not sufficient conditions to stimulate interest: gender, number of children by father, position among mother's children, father's monthly income and entrepreneurial education. This has policy implications both for government and the institutions. The study provides baseline information for researchers and policy makers who need to better understand the dynamics of entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth. Determinants of entrepreneurial propensity of Nigerian undergraduates: an empirical assessment
W.O. Siyanbola; O.O. Afolabi; O.A. Jesuleye; A.A. Egbetokun; A.D. Dada; H.O. Aderemi; Maruf Sanni; M.A. Rasaq
International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 1 - 29
The specific factors that influence the entrepreneurial inclination of students were studied with a view to proposing appropriate policy measures on entrepreneurship within tertiary institutions. The sample for the study consisted of 7,560 students from a total of 25 tertiary institutions with 83% response rate. While we found that entrepreneurial interest among Nigerian students is quite high, the expression of this interest in practice is rather low. The main factors found to significantly explain entrepreneurial interest are parents' educational qualifications, family entrepreneurial history, family socio-demographics, students' entrepreneurial experience, and students' sociodemographics. Of the 14 variables identified as being central in encouraging students' entrepreneurial interests, only five can be defined as necessary, though not sufficient conditions to stimulate interest: gender, number of children by father, position among mother's children, father's monthly income and entrepreneurial education. This has policy implications both for government and the institutions. The study provides baseline information for researchers and policy makers who need to better understand the dynamics of entrepreneurship among Nigerian youth.

]]> 10.1504/IJBE.2012.044925 International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 1 - 29 W.O. Siyanbola; O.O. Afolabi; O.A. Jesuleye; A.A. Egbetokun; A.D. Dada; H.O. Aderemi; Maruf Sanni; M.A. Rasaq National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ' National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ' National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ' National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ' National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ' National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ' National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ' National Centre for Technology Management, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 012, Ile-Ife, Nigeria entrepreneurship entrepreneurial interest tertiary institutions undergraduates Nigeria policy ethnicity risk university students higher education youth young people. 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 5 1 1 29 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44926 The purpose of this paper is to establish research propositions that can potentially fill research gaps in the literature of environmental scanning. Major databases such as ABI/INFORM, and Emerald have been searched to gather literature. The literature on environmental scanning is reviewed with an aim to identify patterns in scanning practices as well as research gaps in the extant literature. Three major phases of the development and three main characteristics of the literature have been identified. Four propositions are suggested to fill the research gaps in the literature of the environmental scanning practices; namely, firm characteristics, market orientation, and top management cognition perspective. Further empirical research is needed to test the four propositions in order to provide a full picture for the environmental scanning literature. The contributions of this paper are: 1) the revelation of the evolution of the environmental scanning literature; 2) the identification of research gaps in the environmental scanning literature; 3) the establishment of propositions through which future research can further the knowledge of environmental scanning. Environmental scanning literature – past, present and future research propositions
Ho Yin Wong; Jia-Yi Hung
International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 30 - 50
The purpose of this paper is to establish research propositions that can potentially fill research gaps in the literature of environmental scanning. Major databases such as ABI/INFORM, and Emerald have been searched to gather literature. The literature on environmental scanning is reviewed with an aim to identify patterns in scanning practices as well as research gaps in the extant literature. Three major phases of the development and three main characteristics of the literature have been identified. Four propositions are suggested to fill the research gaps in the literature of the environmental scanning practices; namely, firm characteristics, market orientation, and top management cognition perspective. Further empirical research is needed to test the four propositions in order to provide a full picture for the environmental scanning literature. The contributions of this paper are: 1) the revelation of the evolution of the environmental scanning literature; 2) the identification of research gaps in the environmental scanning literature; 3) the establishment of propositions through which future research can further the knowledge of environmental scanning.

]]> 10.1504/IJBE.2012.044926 International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 30 - 50 Ho Yin Wong; Jia-Yi Hung Deakin Graduate School of Business, Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University, 70 Elgar Road, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia. ' Department of Health Administration, Tzu Chi College of Technology, 880, Sec.2, Chien-Kuo Rd., Hualien 970, Taiwan environmental scanning market orientation top management cognition strategic planning born global firms literature review firm characteristics. 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 5 1 30 50 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44928 Enterprises are facing significant challenges due to the excessive costs associated with accessing a vast market of potential customers. It is essential for organisations to adopt an ERP system to maintain control of their operations and to compete globally. An ERP implementation is expensive and risky for all organisations, but it is still more challenging for organisations, which have particular characteristics. We investigate the role of CRM, formal and informal management control systems as mechanisms which mediate the effect of enterprise resource planning systems adoption on firm performance. Our analyses are based on survey data drawn from 210 industrial organisations in Iran. Our analysis of the formal types of management control systems act as intervening variables mediating the positive lagged effect between enterprise systems adoption and non-financial performance but informal types of management control systems, do not show similar mediating effects. We find a significant relationship between non-financial and financial firm performance. These results are showing the evidence on the joint roles of enterprise systems and management control systems on improving the company performance is very limited. Our results show that the use of enterprise systems results in improved company performance in the long run. Impact of enterprise resource planning systems on company performance and management control systems
Fakhrddin Maroofi; Mohammad Ali Kiani; Mohammad Nazaripour
International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 51 - 73
Enterprises are facing significant challenges due to the excessive costs associated with accessing a vast market of potential customers. It is essential for organisations to adopt an ERP system to maintain control of their operations and to compete globally. An ERP implementation is expensive and risky for all organisations, but it is still more challenging for organisations, which have particular characteristics. We investigate the role of CRM, formal and informal management control systems as mechanisms which mediate the effect of enterprise resource planning systems adoption on firm performance. Our analyses are based on survey data drawn from 210 industrial organisations in Iran. Our analysis of the formal types of management control systems act as intervening variables mediating the positive lagged effect between enterprise systems adoption and non-financial performance but informal types of management control systems, do not show similar mediating effects. We find a significant relationship between non-financial and financial firm performance. These results are showing the evidence on the joint roles of enterprise systems and management control systems on improving the company performance is very limited. Our results show that the use of enterprise systems results in improved company performance in the long run.

]]> 10.1504/IJBE.2012.044928 International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 51 - 73 Fakhrddin Maroofi; Mohammad Ali Kiani; Mohammad Nazaripour Department of Management, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran Ave, Sanandaj, Iran. ' Department of Psychology, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran Ave, Sanandaj, Iran. ' Department of Accounting, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran Ave, Sanandaj, Iran. enterprise resource planning ERP adoption formal management control informal management control company performance survey path mode firm performance Iran. 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 5 1 51 73 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44929 Bingfa, most popularly recognised in Western literary circles as the art of war, was an ancient Chinese treatise on strategy probably produced around 515-512 BC. Representing perhaps one of the most concise and comprehensive works on Eastern military strategy and decision making it primarily advocates indirect engagement with competitors, particularly where absolute certainty of success is limited. In this paper, utilising a series of propositions, the authors conduct a philosophical exploration into how Sun Tzu's work may possibly inform thinking on strategic decision making (hereafter SDM). The authors discuss how a sizeable body of literature exists which outlines how Sun Tzu may be applied to strategic decision making in the West. The reality however is that a large majority of such works remains largely conceptual in nature. Following these traditions, in this study the authors seek to utilise theories associated with social interpretation (hermeneutics) to relate Sun Tzu's work to SDM. Eastern promises: a philosophical exploration of decision making under 'unconventional' and asymmetric competition
Udechukwu Ojiako; Yue Liu; Johnnie Johnson
International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 74 - 87
Bingfa, most popularly recognised in Western literary circles as the art of war, was an ancient Chinese treatise on strategy probably produced around 515-512 BC. Representing perhaps one of the most concise and comprehensive works on Eastern military strategy and decision making it primarily advocates indirect engagement with competitors, particularly where absolute certainty of success is limited. In this paper, utilising a series of propositions, the authors conduct a philosophical exploration into how Sun Tzu's work may possibly inform thinking on strategic decision making (hereafter SDM). The authors discuss how a sizeable body of literature exists which outlines how Sun Tzu may be applied to strategic decision making in the West. The reality however is that a large majority of such works remains largely conceptual in nature. Following these traditions, in this study the authors seek to utilise theories associated with social interpretation (hermeneutics) to relate Sun Tzu's work to SDM.

]]> 10.1504/IJBE.2012.044929 International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 74 - 87 Udechukwu Ojiako; Yue Liu; Johnnie Johnson School of Management, University of Southampton, UK. ' School of Management, University of Southampton, UK. ' School of Management, University of Southampton, UK strategic decision making unconventional competition asymmetry Sun Tzu Art of War Bingfa social interpretation hermeneutics. 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 5 1 74 87 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=44933 This paper is used to explore requirements for achieving sustainability and survival of manufacturing organisations by means of ensuring continuous supplies for production. Under the current environmental uncertainty due to the global financial crisis and consequent demise of many companies, the contention is that manufacturers require more information and data regarding their suppliers and use supplier intelligence (SI) to reduce supply risk. Current research literature indicates there is little information regarding supplier intelligence; in the context of the supplier's supplier, supplier's financial health in terms of capital investment, debt, share market performance, financial reporting, accounting practices, auditing, corporate governance and operating environment. Consequently, a conceptual framework is proposed for gathering supplier intelligence to improve supplier relations and their management. The impetus for a planned approach to increasing information about a trading partner has become more critical since the collapse of well-known and stable MNCs and the demise of tier 2 suppliers. Supplier intelligence enables the buyer to advance their operations and long term strategies to succeed with more certainty, less supply risk, increased competitive advantage and greater innovative capabilities. Finally, a taxonomy for collecting SI data and information is proposed. A taxonomic approach to supplier intelligence in manufacturing: managing components of strategic procurement planning
Ananda S. Jeeva; Carolyn Dickie
International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 88 - 100
This paper is used to explore requirements for achieving sustainability and survival of manufacturing organisations by means of ensuring continuous supplies for production. Under the current environmental uncertainty due to the global financial crisis and consequent demise of many companies, the contention is that manufacturers require more information and data regarding their suppliers and use supplier intelligence (SI) to reduce supply risk. Current research literature indicates there is little information regarding supplier intelligence; in the context of the supplier's supplier, supplier's financial health in terms of capital investment, debt, share market performance, financial reporting, accounting practices, auditing, corporate governance and operating environment. Consequently, a conceptual framework is proposed for gathering supplier intelligence to improve supplier relations and their management. The impetus for a planned approach to increasing information about a trading partner has become more critical since the collapse of well-known and stable MNCs and the demise of tier 2 suppliers. Supplier intelligence enables the buyer to advance their operations and long term strategies to succeed with more certainty, less supply risk, increased competitive advantage and greater innovative capabilities. Finally, a taxonomy for collecting SI data and information is proposed.

]]> 10.1504/IJBE.2012.044933 International Journal of Business Environment, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2012) pp. 88 - 100 Ananda S. Jeeva; Carolyn Dickie School of Information Systems, Curtin Business School, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Western Australia, Australia. ' School of Information Systems, Curtin Business School, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth 6845, Western Australia, Australia supplier intelligence supply chain management SCM manufacturing industry strategic procurement planning supply chain risk supplier relations supplier information supplier data. 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00 5 1 88 100 2012-01-16T23:20:50-05:00